Exploring Amaro
If you follow trends at the bar, you’ve doubtless heard of amaro, the herbal liqueur named for the Italian word for bitter that somehow pulls off sweetness. Even if you haven’t, you may have tasted some in the trendy Negroni and Aperol Spritz cocktails. But those who stick to just two concoctions are missing much of the fun. Amari (the plural) offer endless opportunities for taking familiar mixed drinks in new directions.
Start with the king of cocktails: the Manhattan, which joins rye or Bourbon with sweet vermouth. Then punch it up with Fernet Branca, an impossibly rooty liqueur that is the secret handshake of amaro converts. Either use it in place of vermouth or add equal measures of each for a take on the Perfect Manhattan. Some call this a Toronto.
In a Martini, color is key. You want a clear amaro to match the gin (or vodka). To make it tingle, swap out the blander dry vermouth with Cocchi (pronounced cokey) Americano Bianco. Its quinine and citrus give it a bite, which is what Ian Fleming sought when he formulated the Vesper using a version of Lillet that is no longer made.
The Aperol Spritz (with Prosecco and soda water) may be the rage among ladies who lunch, but if you want to be taken seriously at your favorite watering hole, ditch that amaro for sweet tooths in favor of delightfully bitter Campari.
If you run out of Campari making spritzers and someone orders a Negroni (gin, vermouth and amaro), don’t despair. Reach for Martini & Rossi Riserva Especiale Bitter. Made with angostura, saffron and calumba, it will serve up a sultry treat for your guest.
Blood and Sand is the sleeper of Scotch cocktails, perplexingly (but refreshingly) complex with equal parts whisky, Cherry Heering, vermouth and orange juice. Cynar is the artichoke-infused outlier among amari that will make it even more intricate and savory when replacing the vermouth portion.
Any classic drink can be turned on its head with amaro. Consider the Old Fashioned, which gets seasoned with Angostura bitters. That medicinal tincture can get a boost from Averna, which adds notes of anise, coffee, cocoa and even cola, but could never be mistaken for kid’s stuff.
